Advise on taking your own motor boat to Cowes Week please!

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Martin1976

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Good afternoon all,

Just wondering if any of you go out to watch Cowes week on your own boats and if you have any advice for someone looking to do this, vantage spots, where not to go, what not to do (collide with oil tankers) etc and how busy marina's get, good anchoring spots??

Any advise / comments would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you all in advance

Martin
 
Goes without saying that Cowes will be off limits except by Ferry. I would be tempted to berth at Yarmouth, and venture out to watch the yachts from there. I should imagine that anchoring off Osborne bay will be impossible too.
 
You need to book mooring well in advance and you would pay a premium for Marinas on the west side of river.
We only had a small boat and used to moor in the Yacht Haven great atmosphere but very noisy into the small hours on site live music and bars.
Re viewing races from your own boat always a bit difficult as the race orders for all the different classes of yachts are not given out for the many possible routes until the day of the race.
there are 2 start lines one off the Squadron club and for the larger yachts its way across to the Calshot shore.
Keep well clear of these areas as it looks like total chaos whilst jockeying for the starts (which it is not if you are a Yachty) and total confusion if you are a motorboater.
We enjoyed getting down the courses and watching from the safe side of turn marks great fun watching the very close racing, All the smaller day boats start their races from the Squadron club line (where the cannons are) think earliest starts are 10am. Great to watch them jostling for position on the start line.
Most of the races finish off the Squadron line from either east or west. A good vantage point is the Green along the front always alot of action here very close into the shore with boats both starting and completing their races.
Not many places to anchor and watch as you will be IN THE BLOODY WAY or too far away to see any action!
Did this for many years and often wished I had a yacht then.
 
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Thanks vm Rafiki, I won't then aim to go to Cowes, but maybe see what can be done in Yarmouth and I guess it'll be easy to see how hectic Osborne bay is. Other than that, I guess nothing else to keep in mind when out and about in the Solent other than, don't get in the way of the rag and stick brigade....
 
And thank you very much Stelican, really appreciate the input and I have no interest in getting anywhere near the chaotic starts and I suspect my friends will probably be more interested in if there is another GnT in the fridge. Will see if I can dig some course maps out from the internet to work out the 'no go' zones!
 
Martin1976 said:
And thank you very much Stelican, really appreciate the input and I have no interest in getting anywhere near the chaotic starts and I suspect my friends will probably be more interested in if there is another GnT in the fridge. Will see if I can dig some course maps out from the internet to work out the 'no go' zones!
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They change the courses daily , I believe this is to take wind and tides into consideration. You just need to keep clear of Start/finish lines and the outside of turn marks(which become obvious after a couple of boats.
Its well worth a visit they usually have The Red Arrows one day sometimes a Stunt plane and also the Fireworks display on the Friday.
 
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Cowes radio broadcasts the starts and courses locally but you can listen in on the interweb http://www.cowesradio.co.uk/

Live video is also available from the Cowes week web site http://www.lendycowesweek.co.uk/

Def worth watching from the green in the following conditions.
a) starts in a south westerly when the tide is in early flood as boats will tack right into shore.
b) finishes in a south westerly when the tide is in very late flood or ebbing, again boats will come right in and broach close to you if windy!

You might be able to get a space in east cowes, failing that try island harbour, or the folly is you don't need electric. There is a water taxi that runs from island/folly that will run you all the way to town key and possibly further.
 
Depending on how much you draw you might find a berth in Island Harbour is most pleasant option for a quiet location even if few local hostelries but it is tidal so restricted access but you can walk from there to Folly Inn for water taxi or cycle there. We have in the past done this but if you are on the East Cowes side just be mindful of chain ferry hours and it's habit of breaking down in strong tides. To be honest if you just motor up to Cowes on any day you will see enough to absorb atmosphere but try to chose one with some wind blowing as then can be more exiting then for spectators wheareas lack of wind makes it very boring .
 
Personally I'd park up river as been suggested, either Island Harbour, Folly, East Cowes Marina (though you may have to pay a premium) and watch from the shoreside. We did this last year and soaked up the atmosphere of live music and bars, and quite frankly, for us, the racing was a side show :D
 
rafiki_ said:
If the weather is ok, you will get a great view from The Little Gloster at Gurnard. Great food.
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Yep. Lovely.

You might find mooring up at the Folly not too difficult, worth enquiring with the Harbour Master.

I'd loaf about in the Solent watching the racing, but at night, nip into Beaulieu, Lymington or Yarmouth. You can have a great few days watching the racing.
 
Several times we have sneaked into Cowes Yacht Haven on the last day as a non-compete Mobo.
Reason being, several of the classes have finished racing by then, and up sticks and leave.
You get to see the tail end of the racing, plus the last nights party. TBH everyone is mostly washed out by the last night.
But it’s still fun to soak up the atmosphere.

Otherwise, you need to book a berth for the entire week, and well in advance. Priority is rightly given to racing boats, so this won’t often work. Also, trying to get anywhere near a start line at race time is madness. You will never see so many boats in the same patch of water at the same time. Observing from a little way off, tucked into the bay between Cowes and Newtown Creek can work well, as you are less likely to be mown down by 100 racing yachts all going in different directions. Be a bit careful in Thorness Bay at low tide: there are drying areas or depths of “0.1m” where you might not expect them.
 
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AND thanks also Ashtead, King, Colhel, Ben, Flowerpower......!!! My thread hadn't refreshed, anyway, I'll be bringing the tone down somewhere as I'll have Swede's in tow....
 
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